Adapter and squeegee assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure proposes an adapter and a wiper strip assembly. The adapter comprises two side plates spaced apart from each other along a transverse direction, each side plate having an upper edge and a lower edge spaced apart along a height direction; a vertical plate and a horizontal plate connecting the two side plates to each other and spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal direction; and a support shaft fixed between the two side plates and used to engage a wiper arm, wherein the support shaft is located between the vertical plate and the horizontal plate in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the upper edge of each side plate has a slope that reduces the height of the side plate as it approaches the horizontal plate, and the height of the slope is greater than 50% of the maximum height of the side plate. The wiper strip assembly comprises a wiper strip; a wiper strip support supporting the wiper strip; and the adapter of the present disclosure mounted on the wiper strip support.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of automotive windshield wiper technology, and more specifically, to an adapter for engaging a wiper blade assembly with a wiper arm, and a wiper blade assembly including the adapter. Background Technology

[0002] Car windshield wipers are a key safety component that ensures clear visibility for drivers. They are mainly driven by a wiper motor to drive the wiper arm, and the end of the wiper arm is connected to a wiper blade assembly (also known as a wiper blade or wiper blade) with a rubber blade, which performs a reciprocating wiping motion on the windshield surface.

[0003] A reliable and convenient connection between the wiper blade assembly and the wiper arm is crucial. Currently, various wiper arm interfaces exist on the market, and the width, thickness, locking mechanism position, and shape of the wiper arm connection end can vary significantly between different car manufacturers and even different car models. Traditional wiper blade assemblies are designed primarily for specific wiper arm interfaces. This leads to the following significant drawbacks: a wiper blade assembly typically only fits one or a few specific wiper arm sizes. The wide variety of car models and the complex and inconsistent wiper arm interface standards make it difficult for wiper blade assemblies to achieve broad compatibility. Therefore, when purchasing or replacing wiper blades, users must first accurately identify their vehicle's wiper arm type and then select the corresponding wiper blade assembly—a complex and error-prone process. Furthermore, ordinary car owners often face difficulties in identifying the interface type and selecting the correct adapter when replacing wiper blades themselves. Incorrect wiper blade assembly selection can lead to installation failure, weak connection, or even accidental detachment of the wiper blade assembly during wiper operation, posing a safety hazard.

[0004] Therefore, the core problem facing automotive wiper blade assemblies in existing technologies lies in the insufficient universality of their connection structure with the wiper arm, making it impossible to flexibly, reliably, and conveniently adapt to the wide variety of wiper arm interfaces of different sizes on the market. This directly leads to difficulties for users in choosing, inconvenient installation, and potential safety risks.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a technical solution to solve the problem of universal connection between wiper blade assembly and wiper arms of various sizes. Utility Model Content

[0006] To address the problems in the prior art described above, this disclosure proposes an improved adapter comprising: two side plates spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction, each side plate having an upper edge and a lower edge spaced apart in a height direction; a vertical plate and a horizontal plate connecting the two side plates and spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction; and a support shaft fixed between the two side plates for engaging a wiper arm, wherein the support shaft is located in the longitudinal direction between the vertical plate and the horizontal plate, and wherein the upper edge of each side plate has a ramp whose height decreases as it approaches the horizontal plate, and the height of the ramp is greater than 50% of the maximum height of the side plate.

[0007] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, the ramp has a steep section in the longitudinal direction near the support axis and a gentle section in the longitudinal direction near the cross plate, the steep section having a greater inclination than the gentle section.

[0008] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, the two side plates define an opening between each other, the opening terminating in the longitudinal direction at the proximal surface of the vertical plate and the proximal end of the horizontal plate.

[0009] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, the vertical plate further has a distal surface opposite to the proximal surface along a longitudinal direction, and the adapter further includes a spring arm fixed to the vertical plate, the free end of the spring arm being adapted to move between an unlocked position near the distal surface and a locked position away from the distal surface, and the elastic deformation of the spring arm generating a restoring force that biases the free end toward the locked position.

[0010] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, each side plate has a first end protruding relative to the vertical plate, such that the two side plates define a limiting groove between each other with the distal surface as the base and adapted to receive the spring arm.

[0011] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, each side plate further has a guide protrusion projecting from the first end in a longitudinal direction, such that the spring arm is positioned between the guide protrusions of the two side plates in a transverse direction.

[0012] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, the vertical plate further has a limiting protrusion projecting from the distal surface toward the spring arm.

[0013] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, the cross plate further has a distal end spaced apart from the proximal end along the longitudinal direction, and upper and lower surfaces opposite to each other along the height direction, and the cross plate further has a positioning protrusion fixed to the lower surface and protruding relative to the distal end along the longitudinal direction.

[0014] According to an alternative embodiment of this disclosure, each side plate has a locking pin on its surface facing the other side plate, and the locking pin of each side plate is located in the longitudinal direction between the support shaft and the cross plate.

[0015] Similarly, in order to address the problems in the prior art described above, this disclosure also proposes an improved scraper assembly, comprising: a scraper; a scraper bracket supporting the scraper; and an adapter as described in this disclosure, the adapter being mounted on the scraper bracket.

[0016] This disclosure may be embodied in the illustrative embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings are merely illustrative, and any variations contemplated under the teachings of this disclosure should be considered to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. These drawings should not be construed as necessarily limiting the scope of this disclosure, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic perspective view of a wiper blade assembly according to the present disclosure, which is connected to the wiper arm.

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of the adapter for the scraper assembly shown;

[0020] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic front view of the adapter for the scraper assembly shown;

[0021] Figure 4 It is along Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the adapter taken by line IV-IV in the diagram;

[0022] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A schematic 3D view of the windshield wiper arm;

[0023] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of the scraper bracket and scraper of the scraper assembly shown;

[0024] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A schematic perspective view showing the adapter of the wiper blade assembly engaging with the wiper blade support portion; and

[0025] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the wiper blade assembly with the adapter fully engaged with the wiper blade bracket. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Further features and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings. Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, and the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. However, this disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as necessarily limited to the exemplary embodiments shown herein. Rather, these exemplary embodiments are provided merely to illustrate this disclosure and to convey the spirit and essence of this disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0027] This disclosure aims to provide an improved adapter for connecting a wiper arm to a wiper blade holder, and a wiper blade assembly including the adapter. Due to its novel design, the adapter can accommodate wiper arms of various sizes, thus making the wiper blade assembly highly versatile and eliminating the need for a specific wiper blade assembly for each wiper arm. In particular, the novel design of the adapter according to this disclosure allows for easy and quick installation and removal from the wiper blade holder, enabling ordinary users to easily replace the adapter and wiper blade holder without requiring professional assistance. Furthermore, the novel design of the adapter according to this disclosure reliably transmits the oscillating force applied by the wiper arm to the wiper blade holder, allowing the wiper blade holder to oscillate accurately with the wiper arm, thereby enabling the wiper blade to accurately perform the wiping action.

[0028] Various alternative, but non-limiting, embodiments of the adapter and scraper assembly according to this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that although the various views show the height direction HH', the longitudinal direction LL', and the lateral direction TT', which are generally perpendicular to each other (i.e., generally transverse to each other), and embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to these three directions, this is merely intended to convey the teachings of this disclosure more intuitively with reference to the accompanying drawings, and not to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure in any way. For example, in practical applications, the height direction HH' may not coincide with the vertical direction.

[0029] refer to Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of a wiper blade assembly according to this disclosure, connected to the wiper arm, is shown. Figure 1As shown, the wiper blade assembly 10 generally includes a wiper blade (e.g., made of synthetic rubber) 100, a wiper blade bracket (e.g., made of engineering plastic) 200 supporting the wiper blade 100, and an adapter (e.g., made of engineering plastic) 300 mounted on the wiper blade bracket 200, wherein the wiper blade 100 and the adapter 300 are located on opposite sides of the wiper blade bracket 200. Additionally, a wiper arm 20 is connected to the adapter 300 so that the adapter 300, along with the wiper blade bracket 200 and the wiper blade 100, can swing with the wiper arm 20. When the wiper arm 20 positions the wiper blade 100 against the windshield, the wiper blade 100 can swing to clear rainwater from the windshield, thereby providing the driver with a clear view. As described in detail below, the adapter 300 can be connected to wiper arms 20 of various sizes, making the wiper blade assembly 10 highly versatile.

[0030] refer to Figure 2 , which shows Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of the adapter for the scraper assembly shown. Figure 2As shown, the adapter 300 includes two side plates 310 spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction TT', and a vertical plate 320 and a horizontal plate 330 connecting the two side plates 310. The vertical plate 320 and the horizontal plate 330 are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction LL', meaning that the two side plates 310 are connected to each other at two locations spaced apart along the longitudinal direction LL'. Because the vertical plate 320 and the horizontal plate 330 are spaced apart, an opening 301 can be left between the two side plates 310. This opening 301 is defined between the two side plates 310 in the lateral direction TT' and terminates on opposite sides along the longitudinal direction LL' at the proximal surface 321 of the vertical plate 320 and the proximal end 331 of the horizontal plate 330, respectively. Additionally, the adapter 300 includes a support shaft 340 fixed between the two side plates 310 for engaging the wiper arm 20. The support shaft 340 is oriented in the lateral direction TT' and positioned in the longitudinal direction LL' between the proximal surface 321 of the vertical plate 320 and the proximal end 331 of the horizontal plate 330, such that the opening 301 exposes the support shaft 340. Therefore, the wiper arm 20 can pass through the opening 301 between the two side plates 310 and engage the support shaft 340, thereby connecting the wiper blade assembly 10 to the wiper arm 20. It is worth noting that the term "proximal" herein can be understood as the side closest to or facing the opening 301. Of course, the vertical plate 320 also has a distal surface 322 along the longitudinal direction LL' opposite to the proximal surface 321 (i.e., away from or opposite to the opening 301), and the horizontal plate 330 also has a distal end 332 along the longitudinal direction LL' spaced apart from the proximal end 331 (i.e., away from or opposite to the opening 301). It is also worth mentioning that the term "plate" in this article has its usual meaning in the mechanical field, that is, a structure whose dimensions in two directions are significantly larger (e.g., differ by at least twice) than its dimensions in a third direction. For example, the dimensions of the vertical plate 320 in the transverse direction TT' and the height direction HH' are significantly larger than its dimensions in the longitudinal direction LL'. In other words, the thickness of the vertical plate 320 is oriented in the longitudinal direction LL'. For example, the dimensions of the vertical plate 320 in the transverse direction TT' and the height direction HH' are at least twice its dimensions in the longitudinal direction LL'. Similarly, the dimensions of the horizontal plate 330 in the longitudinal direction LL' and the transverse direction TT' are significantly larger than its dimensions in the height direction HH'. In other words, the thickness of the horizontal plate 330 is oriented in the height direction HH'. For example, the dimensions of the horizontal plate 330 in the longitudinal direction LL' and the transverse direction TT' are at least twice its dimensions in the height direction HH'.

[0031] Continue to refer to Figure 2Each side plate 310 has an upper edge 311 and a lower edge 312 that are opposite in direction HH' (i.e., spaced apart along the height direction HH'). Therefore, the height of each side plate 310 (i.e., its dimension in the height direction HH') can be considered as the distance along the height direction HH' that separates the upper edge 311 from the lower edge 312, and the opening 301 can be considered as extending from the proximal surface 321 of the vertical plate 320 along the upper edges 311 of the two side plates 320 to the proximal end 331 of the horizontal plate 330. Additionally, from... Figure 2 As can be seen, the height of each side plate 310 is not constant along the longitudinal direction LL', but rather varies along the longitudinal direction LL'. Specifically, the upper edge 311 of each side plate 310 has a slope 311a that decreases in height as it approaches the transverse plate 330, and this slope 311a is generally arc-shaped. (Reference) Figure 3 , which shows Figure 1 A schematic front view of the adapter for the scraper assembly shown. Figure 3 As shown, the inclination or slope of the ramp 311a can be represented by the ratio of the distance ha (also called height) crossed by the ramp 311a in the vertical direction HH' to the distance la (also called longitudinal length) crossed in the longitudinal direction LL'. Furthermore, the height ha of the ramp 311a is greater than 50% of the maximum height of the side plate 310, which allows the ramp 311a to reduce the height of the side plate 310 by more than 50% as it approaches the transverse plate 330. Additionally, returning to... Figure 2 The support shaft 340 is positioned in the longitudinal direction LL' between the proximal surface 321 of the vertical plate 320 and the ramp 311a. Specifically, refer to... Figure 4 , which shows along Figure 2 A schematic cross-sectional view of the adapter taken by line IV-IV shows that the ramp 311a includes a steep section 311a' near the support shaft 340 in the longitudinal direction LL' and a gentle section 311a' near the cross plate 330 in the longitudinal direction LL', wherein the inclination or slope of the steep section 311a' (which can be represented by the ratio of its height ha' to its longitudinal length la') is greater than the inclination or slope of the gentle section 311a' (which can be represented by the ratio of its height ha' to its longitudinal length la'). More specifically, the height ha' of the steep section 311a' is greater than 50% of the height ha of the ramp 311a.

[0032] In the above configuration, each side plate 310 can have a larger height between the proximal surface 321 of the vertical plate 320 and the ramp 311a, and a smaller height between the ramp 311a and the proximal end 331 of the horizontal plate 330. Furthermore, since the support shaft 340 is located between the proximal surface 321 of the vertical plate 320 and the ramp 311a, after the wiper arm 20 is engaged with the support shaft 340, the wiper arm 20 can engage the portion of each side plate 310 with a larger height in the lateral direction TT', thereby increasing the height of the relationship between the side plate 310 and the wiper arm 20. The increased contact area allows each side plate 310 to more reliably withstand the oscillating force exerted by the wiper arm 20 in the lateral direction TT', thereby enabling the wiper assembly 10 to more reliably oscillate with the wiper arm 20 in the lateral direction TT'. Furthermore, the portion of each side plate 310 between the ramp 311a and the proximal end 331 of the cross plate 330 has a smaller height, effectively avoiding structural interference with the wiper arm 20. This allows the adapter 300 to be adapted to various sizes of wiper arms 20, rather than being limited to a specific size. Therefore, this configuration not only allows the adapter 300 to reliably withstand the oscillating force exerted by the wiper arm 20 but also enables it to be adapted to various sizes of wiper arms 20, thus improving the reliability and versatility of the wiper assembly 10 equipped with the adapter 300.

[0033] like Figures 2-3 As shown, each side plate 310 has a first end 313 and a second end 314 spaced apart along the longitudinal direction LL', wherein the first end 313 is close to the vertical plate 320 and the second end 314 is close to the horizontal plate 330. Additionally, the upper edge 311 of each side plate 310 also has an additional slope 311b extending from the first end 313 to a slope 311a, wherein the height of the side plate 310 increases with distance from the first end 313 (i.e., with proximity to the slope 311a), and the inclination of the additional slope 311b is less than that of the slope 311a; in other words, the slope of the additional slope 311b is less than that of the slope 311a. Figure 3As shown, the inclination or slope of the additional slope 311b can be represented by the ratio of the distance hb (also called height) that the additional slope 311b crosses in the height direction HH' to the distance lb (also called longitudinal length) that it crosses in the longitudinal direction LL'. Here, the distance ha that the slope 311a crosses in the height direction HH' is greater than the distance hb that the additional slope 311b crosses in the height direction HH', and the distance la that the slope 311a crosses in the longitudinal direction LL' is less than the distance lb that the additional slope 311b crosses in the longitudinal direction LL'. Therefore, the inclination or slope of the slope 311a is greater than the inclination or slope of the additional slope 311b. In this configuration, the portion of each side plate 310 that engages with the wiper arm 20 in the lateral direction TT' can have a greater height, thereby further increasing the contact area between the side plate 310 and the wiper arm 20, so that each side plate 310 can more reliably withstand the oscillating force exerted by the wiper arm 20 in the lateral direction TT'.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the second end 314 of each side plate 310 is connected to the proximal end 331 of the cross plate 330, such that the proximal end 331 of the cross plate 331 connects the second ends 314 of the two side plates 310 to each other. Additionally, as... Figure 3 As shown, the horizontal plate 330 has an upper surface 333 and a lower surface 334 that are opposite to each other along the height direction HH'. The upper edge 311 of each side plate 310 is aligned with the upper surface 333 of the horizontal plate 330 at the second end 314, and the lower edge 312 of each side plate 310 is aligned with the lower surface 334 of the horizontal plate 330 at the second end 314. That is, at the second end 314 of each side plate 310, the upper edge 311 and the lower edge 312 of the side plate 310 are aligned with the upper surface 333 and the lower surface 334 of the horizontal plate 330, respectively, so that the height of each side plate 310 at the second end 314 is the same as the height (i.e., thickness) of the horizontal plate 330 at the proximal end 331. In other words, the horizontal plate 330 is arranged to extend across the entire height of the two side plates 310. In this configuration, the slope 311a of the upper edge 311 of each side plate 310, as it approaches the proximal end 331 of the cross plate 330, reduces the height of the side plate 310 to be equal to the height of the cross plate 330. This further reduces the height of the side plates 310, thus more reliably preventing structural interference between the adapter 300 and the wiper arm 20. This allows the adapter 300 to accommodate wiper arms 20 of more sizes, thereby further improving the versatility of the adapter 300 and the wiper assembly 10. Specifically, as... Figure 3As shown, the height of the cross plate 330 is not constant along the longitudinal direction LL', but varies along the longitudinal direction LL'. Specifically, the height of the cross plate 330 decreases from the proximal end 331 to the distal end 332. In this configuration, not only does the height of each side plate 310 decrease as it approaches the proximal end 331 of the cross plate 330, but the height of the cross plate 330 also decreases as it approaches the distal end 332. This more reliably avoids structural interference between the adapter 300 and the wiper arm 20, allowing the adapter 300 to accommodate wiper arms 20 of more sizes, thus further improving the versatility of the adapter 300 and the wiper assembly 10. In particular, as Figure 2 As shown, the crossbar 330 has two side edges 335 that are opposite in the lateral direction TT' (i.e., spaced apart along the lateral direction TT'), wherein each side edge 335 extends from the proximal end 331 to the distal end 332 of the crossbar 330. Therefore, the dimension of the crossbar 330 in the lateral direction TT' (also referred to as the lateral width) can be considered as the distance separating the two side edges 335, measured along the lateral direction TT'. Additionally, each side edge 335 has a lateral ramp 335a that decreases in lateral width as it moves away from the proximal end 331 (i.e., as it moves closer to the distal end 332). In this configuration, the width of the crossbar 330 decreases as it moves closer to the distal end 332, which also helps to avoid structural interference between the adapter 300 and the wiper arm 20, thereby enabling the adapter 300 to accommodate wiper arms 20 of more sizes, thus further improving the versatility of the adapter 300 and the wiper assembly 10.

[0035] like Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the vertical plate 320 has an upper end 323 and a lower end 324 spaced apart from each other along the height direction HH', and the vertical plate 320 is positioned between two side plates 310 such that its upper end 323 is aligned with the upper edges 311 of the two side plates 310. That is, unlike the horizontal plate 330 which connects the second ends 314 of the two side plates 310 to each other, the vertical plate 320 itself is positioned between the two side plates 310, and its upper end 323 is shaped to conform to the upper edges 311 of the two side plates 310 so as to be aligned with the upper edges 311 of the two side plates 310 (in particular, with the additional ramp 311b). In addition, the lower end 324 of the vertical plate 320 is shaped to conform to the lower edges 312 of the two side plates 310 so as to be aligned with the lower edges 312 of the two side plates 310, so that the vertical plate 320 is also arranged to extend across the entire height of the two side plates 310. In this configuration, through the cooperation of the vertical plate 320 and the horizontal plate 330, the two side plates 310 are connected along the entire height on one side via the vertical plate 320, and on the other side via the horizontal plate 330 along the entire height. This can significantly improve the structural strength of the adapter 300, thereby significantly improving the reliability of the adapter 300, while avoiding a significant increase in the weight of the adapter 300.

[0036] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, each side plate 310 has a locking pin 350 protruding from the surface facing the other side plate 310. That is, the two side plates 310 each have locking pins 350 on their opposing surfaces. These two locking pins 350 are positioned in the longitudinal direction LL' between the support shaft 340 and the proximal end 331 of the cross plate 330, specifically within the longitudinal range of the steep section 311a' of the ramp 311a. Therefore, like the support shaft 340, the locking pins 350 can also be exposed by the opening 301. (Reference) Figure 5 , which shows Figure 1The schematic perspective view of the wiper arm shown depicts a wiper arm 20 with a hinge hole 21 at its end for receiving a support shaft 340 of an adapter 300, and two locking grooves 22 recessed from both sides of the end. When connecting the wiper arm 20 to the adapter 300, the end of the wiper arm 20 can be inserted into the opening 301 of the adapter 300, and the end of the wiper arm 20 can be pressed towards the adapter 300 until the support shaft 340 of the adapter 300 enters the hinge hole 21 of the wiper arm 20. Simultaneously, the two locking pins 350 of the adapter 300 can enter the two locking grooves 22 of the wiper arm 20. Alternatively, after the support shaft 340 enters the hinge hole 21, the two locking pins 350 of the adapter 300 can also enter the two locking grooves 22 by rotating the end of the wiper arm 20 around the support shaft 340. This simple operation achieves a quick connection between the wiper arm 20 and the adapter 300, while the support shaft is held in place by the hinge hole 21. The wiper arm 20 is reliably connected to the adapter 300 by holding the two locking pins 350 through the two locking grooves 22. When removing the wiper arm 20 from the adapter 300, the end of the wiper arm 20 can be pulled out from the opening 301 of the adapter 300 until the support shaft 340 disengages from the hinge hole 21 and the two locking pins 350 disengage from the two locking grooves 22. Alternatively, the end of the wiper arm 20 can be rotated around the support shaft 340 to disengage the two locking pins 350 from the two locking grooves 22, and then the end of the wiper arm 20 can be pulled out from the opening 301 of the adapter 300 until the support shaft 340 disengages from the hinge hole 21. This simple operation enables quick separation of the wiper arm 20 from the adapter 300. With the above configuration, the adapter 300 can be reliably mounted on the wiper arm 20 with a simple pressing and rotating motion, and can be separated from the wiper arm 20 with a simple rotating and pulling motion. This allows ordinary users to easily install and remove the wiper blade assembly without the need for professional operation. It is also worth mentioning that, since each locking pin 350 can slide in the corresponding locking groove 22, after the wiper arm 20 is connected to the adapter 300, the adapter 300 can still rotate within a certain range relative to the wiper arm 20, thus possessing a certain degree of rotational freedom. This degree of rotational freedom allows the wiper blade 100 to more accurately conform to the curvature of the car windshield, thereby more thoroughly clearing rainwater from the windshield and providing the driver with a clearer view. Specifically, as... Figure 4 As shown, the support shaft 340 and each locking pin 350 are D-shaped or semi-circular in cross-section, and the D-shaped shapes of the support shaft 340 and each locking pin 350 are oriented in different directions. For example, in Figure 4In this configuration, the straight edge of the D-shape of the support shaft 340 is inclined relative to the height direction HH', while the straight edge of the D-shape of each locking pin 350 is almost parallel to the height direction HH'. With this configuration, the support shaft 340 and locking pin 350 cannot simultaneously enter and exit the hinge hole 21 and locking groove 22 by a simple pressing or pulling action. Therefore, when connecting the adapter 300 to the wiper arm 20, the support shaft 340 must first enter the hinge hole 21 before the locking pin 350 can be entered into the locking groove 22 by rotating the adapter 300. Similarly, when separating the adapter 300 from the wiper arm 20, the locking pin 350 must first be disengaged from the locking groove 22 by rotating the adapter 300 before the support shaft 340 can be disengaged from the hinge hole 21 by pulling the adapter 300. Therefore, this configuration reliably prevents the adapter 300 from accidentally disengaging from the wiper arm 20 during use.

[0037] like Figures 2-4 As shown, the adapter 300 also includes a spring arm 370 fixed to the vertical plate 320 (specifically, the lower end 324 of the vertical plate 320), such as Figure 4As best shown, the spring arm 370 is generally L-shaped, so that it can together with the vertical plate 320 define a generally U-shaped cross-section. Furthermore, the spring arm 370 has a fixed end 371 connected to the vertical plate 320 and a free end 372 spaced apart from the vertical plate 320 along the longitudinal direction LL'. The elastic deformation of the spring arm 370 allows the free end 372 to move between an unlocked position near the vertical plate 320 and a locked position away from the vertical plate 320, and the spring arm 370 is adapted to generate a restoring force that biases the free end 372 toward the locked position. In other words, the spring arm 370 has a normal state in which the free end 372 is in the locked position away from the vertical plate 320 and a compressed state in which the free end 372 is in the unlocked position near the vertical plate 320, and the elastic deformation of the spring arm 370 generates a restoring force that biases the free end 372 toward the locked position. In this configuration, the user can apply a pushing force to the free end 372 of the spring arm 370 to cause elastic deformation of the spring arm 370, thereby pushing the free end 372 to the unlocked position. The spring arm 370 can automatically return to the locked position after the pushing force is removed, thus allowing the adapter 300 to be mounted on and removed from the scraper bracket 200 as described in detail below. Specifically, for ease of user operation, the free end 372 of the spring arm 370 forms a handle adapted to engage the user's fingers, allowing the user to push the free end 372 to the unlocked position by pressing the handle with their fingers. Specifically, a portion of the surface of the spring arm 370 facing away from the vertical plate 320 (i.e., the direction away from the vertical plate 320) forms an engagement groove 373 extending along the lateral direction TT', and another portion of this surface forms a slope 374 that inclines towards the direction away from the vertical plate 320 as it approaches the engagement groove 373. More specifically, the engaging slot 373 is positioned adjacent to the free end 372, that is, the engaging slot 373 is positioned between the free end 372 and the inclined surface 374. As described in more detail below, this configuration facilitates the mounting of the adapter 300 onto the scraper bracket 200.

[0038] like Figures 2-4As shown, the first end 313 of each side plate 310 protrudes along the longitudinal direction LL' relative to the distal surface 322 of the vertical plate 320, i.e., relative to the vertical plate 320, such that the first ends 313 of the two side plates 310 define a limiting groove 302 between them, with the distal surface 322 of the vertical plate 320 as its base. This limiting groove 302 opens toward the spring arm 370 so that the spring arm 370 can be partially received in the limiting groove 302. That is, the spring arm 370 is positioned in the transverse direction TT' between the first ends 313 of the two side plates 310, such that the first ends 313 of the two side plates 310 are located on opposite sides of the spring arm 370 along the transverse direction TT'. In this configuration, since the spring arm 370 is positioned in the lateral direction TT' between the first ends 313 of the two side plates 310, the two first ends 313 can limit the displacement of the spring arm 370 in the lateral direction TT'. Furthermore, since the spring arm 370 is configured to be elastically deformable in the longitudinal direction LL', which makes it unsuitable for elastic deformation in the lateral direction TT', the above configuration can protect the spring arm 370 from breakage due to excessive elastic deformation in the lateral direction TT', thereby improving the reliability of the adapter 300 and extending its service life. In particular, the vertical plate 320 also has a limiting protrusion 360 that protrudes from the distal surface 322 toward the spring arm 370 (i.e., protrudes into the limiting groove 302 along the longitudinal direction LL'). In this configuration, not only can the displacement of the spring arm 370 in the lateral direction TT' be limited by the first ends 313 of the two side plates 310, but the displacement of the spring arm 370 in the longitudinal direction LL' can also be limited by the limiting protrusion 360. This protects the spring arm 370 from breakage due to excessive elastic deformation in the longitudinal direction LL', thereby further improving the reliability of the adapter 300 and extending its service life. In particular, each side plate 310 is also provided with a guide protrusion 315 protruding from the first end 313 along the longitudinal direction LL'. Therefore, the spring arm 370 is also positioned between the two guide protrusions 315 in the lateral direction TT', so that the two guide protrusions 315 are located on opposite sides of the spring arm 370 along the lateral direction TT'. As described in more detail below, the two guide protrusions 315 facilitate easier installation and removal of the adapter 300 from the wiper blade bracket 200, and also help transmit the oscillating force exerted by the wiper arm 20 in the lateral direction TT' to the wiper blade bracket 200. Specifically, the crossbar 330 is further provided with a positioning protrusion 336 that is fixed to the lower surface 334 and protrudes relative to the distal end 332 in the longitudinal direction LL'.As described in more detail below, the positioning protrusion 336 makes it easier to install the adapter 300 on the wiper blade bracket 200 and remove the adapter 300 from the wiper blade bracket 200, and the positioning protrusion 336 also helps to transmit the oscillating force applied by the wiper arm 20 in the lateral direction TT' to the wiper blade bracket 200.

[0039] refer to Figure 6 , which shows Figure 1 A schematic perspective view of the scraper bracket and scraper blade of the scraper assembly shown. (See diagram below.) Figure 6As shown, the wiper bracket 200 includes a bracket body 210 and two wiper legs 220 attached to the bracket body 210. An adapter 300 can be mounted on the bracket body 210, and the two wiper legs 220 can hold the wiper 100, for example, by clamping, so that the wiper 100, the wiper bracket 200 and the adapter 300 can be combined to form a wiper assembly 10. The wiper arm 20 can engage with the support shaft 340 of the adapter 300, so that the wiper arm 20 can drive the wiper 100 to swing on the windshield of the car through the adapter 300 and the wiper bracket 200 to clear rainwater on the windshield and thus clear the driver's vision. Specifically, similar to adapter 300, the support body 210 includes two vertical plates 211 spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction TT', and a first horizontal plate 212 and a second horizontal plate 213 connecting the two vertical plates 211. The first horizontal plate 212 and the second horizontal plate 213 are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction LL', meaning that the first horizontal plate 212 and the second horizontal plate 213 connect the two vertical plates 211 at two positions spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction LL'. Because the first horizontal plate 212 and the second horizontal plate 213 are spaced apart from each other, a notch 201 for receiving adapter 300 is left between the first horizontal plate 212 and the second horizontal plate 213. Additionally, the support body 210 also includes a locking protrusion 214 protruding from the proximal end of the first horizontal plate 212 (i.e., the end facing or near the notch 201) along the longitudinal direction LL' and two guide plates 215 protruding from the locking protrusion 214 along the height direction HH', wherein the two guide plates 215 are spaced apart from the two vertical plates 211 on both sides along the transverse direction TT', such that a guide groove 216 is defined between each guide plate 215 and the corresponding vertical plate 211, and wherein the two guide grooves 216 are located on opposite sides of the locking protrusion 214 along the transverse direction TT'. Therefore, on one side of the notch 201, the bracket body 210 is provided with engaging protrusions 214 and guide grooves 216 for engaging with the adapter 300. On the other side of the notch 201, the second horizontal plate 213 and the two vertical plates 211 on both sides define a positioning groove 217. The positioning groove 217 opens into the notch 201 at the proximal end of the second horizontal plate 213 (i.e., the end facing or near the notch 201) and is also used for engaging with the adapter 300. This allows the adapter 300 to be accommodated in the notch 201 and to engage with the bracket body 210 on both sides of the notch 201. Therefore, the adapter 300 can be reliably mounted on the bracket body 210 and transmit the oscillating force applied by the wiper arm 20 to the bracket body 210.

[0040] like Figure 6As shown, each vertical plate 211 has two transverse ramps spaced apart from each other: a first transverse ramp 211a away from the first horizontal plate 212 and a second transverse ramp 211b closer to the first horizontal plate 212. The distance between the two vertical plates 211 in the transverse direction TT' decreases as they move away from the first horizontal plate 212 (i.e., as they move closer to the second horizontal plate 213). In other words, the width of the support body 210 in the transverse direction TT' decreases as it moves away from the first horizontal plate 212 (i.e., as it moves closer to the second horizontal plate 213). Therefore, by means of the first transverse ramp 211a and the second transverse ramp 211b, the two vertical plates 211 move closer to each other as they approach the second horizontal plate 213. In this configuration, the width of the bracket body 210 can decrease as it approaches the second horizontal plate 213, which helps to avoid structural interference between the bracket body 210 and the wiper arm 20. This allows the wiper bracket 200 to be adapted to wiper arms 20 of more sizes, thus further improving the versatility of the wiper bracket 200 and the wiper assembly 10.

[0041] Specifically, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 ,in, Figure 7 It shows Figure 1 The schematic perspective view shows the adapter of the wiper blade assembly engaging with the wiper blade support portion, and Figure 8 It shows Figure 1 The diagram shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the wiper blade assembly adapter fully engaged with the wiper blade bracket. (See diagram for reference.) Figure 7 As shown, if the adapter 300 needs to be installed on the scraper bracket 200, the positioning protrusion 336 of the adapter 300 can first be inserted into the positioning groove 217 of the bracket body 210. Then, the adapter 300 is rotated around the proximal end of the second horizontal plate 213 of the bracket body 210 until the inclined surface 374 of the spring arm 370 of the adapter 300 abuts against the engaging protrusion 214 of the bracket body 210. At this time, if the adapter 300 is pressed towards the bracket body 210, the adapter 300 can be further pressed. Then, the engaging protrusion 214, with the aid of the inclined surface 374, will bias the free end 372 of the spring arm 370 toward the unlocked position until the engaging protrusion 214 enters the engaging groove 373 on the spring arm 370. As the engaging protrusion 214 enters the engaging groove 373, the elastic restoring force of the spring arm 370 can bias the free end 372 back to the locked position, thereby locking the engaging protrusion 214 in the engaging groove 373, thus allowing the adapter 300 to be mounted on the bracket body 210. Figure 8As shown, after the adapter 300 is installed, the engaging protrusion 214 of the bracket body 210 prevents the spring arm 370 of the adapter 300 from disengaging from the bracket body 210, and the second horizontal plate 213 of the bracket body 210 prevents the positioning protrusion 336 of the adapter 300 from disengaging from the bracket body 210. That is, the adapter 300 engages with the bracket body 210 on both opposite sides along the longitudinal direction LL', thereby reliably holding the adapter 300 on the bracket body 210. It is also worth mentioning that during the above installation, each guide protrusion 315 of the adapter 300 will enter the corresponding guide groove 216 of the bracket body 210 and will be clamped between the corresponding vertical plate 211 and guide plate 215 of the bracket body 210. In this configuration, the two guide protrusions 315 not only guide the adapter 300 during installation to ensure accurate mounting on the bracket body 210, but also reliably hold the spring arm 370 between the two guide plates 215 after the adapter 300 is installed, transmitting the oscillating force applied by the wiper arm 20 to the bracket body 210. This prevents the spring arm 370 from interacting with the two guide plates 215 in the lateral direction TT', thus preventing breakage due to elastic deformation in the lateral direction TT', and further improving the reliability of the adapter 300. Specifically, after the adapter 300 is installed, the positioning protrusion 336 abuts against the second horizontal plate 213 and is clamped between the two vertical plates 211 of the bracket body 210. Therefore, the positioning protrusion 336 can also transmit the oscillating force applied by the wiper arm 20 to the bracket body 210, thereby enabling the wiper arm 20 to drive the wiper blade bracket 200 more reliably via the adapter 300. Additionally, if it is necessary to remove the adapter 300 from the scraper bracket 200, the user only needs to push the free end 372 of the spring arm 370 to the unlocked position and follow the reverse steps of the installation operation described above to easily remove the adapter 300 from the scraper bracket 200. Specifically, as... Figure 7 As shown, after the adapter 300 and the scraper bracket 200 are assembled, the first transverse ramps 211a of the two vertical plates 211 of the bracket body 210 of the scraper bracket 200 are aligned with the transverse ramps 335a of the two side edges 335 of the horizontal plate 330 of the adapter 300 in the height direction HH'. With this configuration, as mentioned above, the versatility of the scraper assembly 10 can be further improved.

[0042] The above description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, details alternative but non-limiting embodiments of the adapter and scraper assembly according to this disclosure. Modifications and additions to the technology and structure, as well as recombinations of features in the various embodiments, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and essence of this disclosure and should be considered within its scope. Therefore, all such modifications and additions conceivable under the teachings of this disclosure should be considered part of this disclosure. The scope of this disclosure includes equivalent technologies known at the filing date of this disclosure and equivalent technologies not yet foreseen.

Claims

1. An adapter, characterized in that, include: Two side plates (310) spaced apart from each other along the transverse direction (TT'), each side plate (310) having an upper edge (311) and a lower edge (312) spaced apart along the height direction (HH'); The two side plates (310) are connected to each other and spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal direction (LL') by a vertical plate (320) and a horizontal plate (330); as well as A support shaft (340) is fixed between the two side plates (310) and used to engage the wiper arm. The support shaft (340) is located in the longitudinal direction (LL') between the vertical plate (320) and the horizontal plate (330), and Each side plate (310) has an upper edge (311) with a ramp (311a) whose height decreases as it approaches the cross plate (330), and the height of the ramp (311a) is greater than 50% of the maximum height of the side plate (310).

2. The adapter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ramp (311a) has a steep section (311a') in the longitudinal direction (LL') near the support shaft (340) and a gentle section (311a”) in the longitudinal direction (LL') near the cross plate (330), the steep section (311a') having a greater inclination than the gentle section (311a”).

3. The adapter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The two side plates (310) define an opening (301) between them, the opening (301) terminating in the longitudinal direction (LL') at the proximal surface (321) of the vertical plate (320) and the proximal end (331) of the horizontal plate (330).

4. The adapter according to claim 3, characterized in that, The vertical plate (320) also has a distal surface (322) opposite to the proximal surface (321) along the longitudinal direction (LL'), and the adapter further includes a spring arm (370) fixed to the vertical plate (320), the free end (372) of the spring arm (370) being adapted to move between an unlocked position near the distal surface (322) and a locked position away from the distal surface (322), and the elastic deformation of the spring arm (370) generating a restoring force that biases the free end (372) toward the locked position.

5. The adapter according to claim 4, characterized in that, Each side plate (310) has a first end (313) protruding relative to the vertical plate (320) such that the two side plates (310) define a limiting groove (302) between each other with the distal surface (322) as the base and adapted to receive the spring arm (370).

6. The adapter according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each side plate (310) also has a guide protrusion (315) protruding from the first end (313) in the longitudinal direction (LL') such that the spring arm (370) is located between the guide protrusions (315) of the two side plates (310) in the transverse direction (TT').

7. The adapter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The vertical plate (320) also has a limiting protrusion (360) that protrudes from the distal surface (322) toward the spring arm (370).

8. The adapter according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cross plate (330) also has a distal end (332) spaced apart from the proximal end (331) along the longitudinal direction (LL') and an upper surface (333) and a lower surface (334) opposite to each other along the height direction (HH'), and the cross plate (330) also has a positioning protrusion (336) fixed to the lower surface (334) and protruding relative to the distal end (332) along the longitudinal direction (LL').

9. The adapter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Each side plate (310) has a locking pin (350) on the surface facing the other side plate (310), and the locking pin (350) of each side plate (310) is located in the longitudinal direction (LL') between the support shaft (340) and the cross plate (330).

10. A scraper assembly, characterized in that, include: Scraper (100); A scraper support (200) that supports the scraper (100); as well as The adapter according to any one of claims 1-9 is mounted on the scraper bracket (200).

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